


Opportunity

by MrProphet



Category: Heroes (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-22 08:58:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10693716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrProphet/pseuds/MrProphet





	Opportunity

“Let’s go through this one more time, Agent Bennet,” Agent Finn said. “You and Agent Gulliver contacted Mr Marquez in Malta, under strict instructions not to cause an incident on British soil, and somehow managed to get into a gun fight in which Gulliver was” – Finn referred to the larger of the two files on his desk – “bisected when a high-tension steel cable broke its moorings? Now you say I’m not looking at this the right way. How do you suggest I look at it?”

Noah Bennet pushed a hand through his hair and fought down an urge to snap at his superior. That sort of thing was even less popular in the Agency than it had been in the army. “It wasn’t a cable,” he said patiently.

“Agent Bennet, please,” Finn sighed. “You have an exemplary record with Special Forces and we all have high hopes for you here in the Agency. That’s why everyone, from me up to the Director himself, is trying very hard  _not_  to think about the report in which you claim to have seen Jack Gulliver sliced in half by” – now he opened the smaller file, but reluctantly – “‘an invisible wave of force’. How can you even have seen it if it was invisible?”

“I didn’t say that I saw the force, only its effects. Marquez demonstrated his ability on several objects in an attempt to convince us of his qualifications as an assassin.”

“And it never occurred to you that this was just a bit of flim-flam for the customers”

“Of course we thought it was a trick,” Bennet snapped. “Then one of his people – the girl I described in my report…”

With a sigh, Finn referred to the file. “Yes, the girl: Angelique; about fifteen years old, Hispanic colouring, British accent. You note that she was ‘careworn and dejected, with a despairing look in her eyes’. Have you just been reading a lot of Dickens in all these trips to British territories or are you harbouring some secret desire to become a father?”

“I just called it how I saw it. Maybe I was feeling introspective after what happened in Malta.”

“Alright,” Finn accepted. “We’ll shelve that for now. Tell me what the girl did.”

“She was looking increasingly nervous. Marquez went over and talked to her. He was angry about something and twisted her arm. Finally she said something that I couldn’t quite make out and he seemed… satisfied.

“He brought her over and introduced her as his ‘niece’. Then he said that he didn’t think he’d convinced us, so he got me to hold up an ashtray between my two hands. With all the guns on us there didn’t seem much else to do.”

“And?”

“He cut the ashtray in half, but…” Bennet held up his undamaged hands.

“Was that when you decided to get into a gunfight with the man?” Finn demanded.

“That wasn’t our decision. We finished the business, setting up the hit, so that we’d have the evidence we needed to arrest Marquez when he entered the country. As soon as we’d done that, he told us he knew we were US Government agents and told his troops to take us away.

“We didn’t have any choice but to make a fight of it. We made a damn good try for the door, but then Gulliver just… fell in half. I don’t think I’ll ever forget that; however much I might want to.”

“Then how did you survive?” Finn challenged.

“Got under cover,” Bennet replied. “I thought he’d just cut me through the wood of the crate like he’d cut the ashtray. When I didn’t, I worked out that he must need to  _see_  me. I was able to get behind him and… Agent Finn.”

Finn rose awkwardly to his feet. “I’m… going to get a coffee.”

“Sir?”

“Get a coffee.” Finn moved dreamily to the door and went out.

Bennet waited for a few moments and then turned to face the one-way mirror covering the left wall. “What now?” he asked. As if in answer a thought came into his head.

He took Finn’s pad and pen, which he had left on the table, and wrote a quick letter of resignation, citing personal reasons. He noticed as he did so that, before leaving the room, Finn had written his approval and signed at the bottom of the sheet of paper.

Bennet rose to his feet and walked out of the Agency’s field office. In the car park a limo was waiting for him and he climbed in. There were two men in the back; a lean Japanese and a portly American.

“Mr Bennet,” the Japanese said. “We have read your report and were very impressed. You showed great promise and considerable resourcefulness.”

“Who are you?” Bennet demanded. “How can you have read an internal Agency report?”

The American grinned. “You’d be amazed the things people let slip. You didn’t think anyone knew you’d cheated on your wife.”

Bennet felt a rush of anger, then confusion, then realisation. “You know what I think about that?” he asked.

The American’s face twisted in confusion. “I…”

“Parkman? What is wrong?”

“What’s the matter?” Bennett challenged. “Can’t read minds in Spanish?”

The Japanese inclined his head in acknowledgement. “Very impressive, Mr Bennet. You not only recognised what really happened in Malta, you have accepted the implications of that realisation. You recognise that there must be others, such as Mr Parkman here.” He turned and whispered to Parkman in Japanese.

The look of concentration left Parkman’s face. “Giving me a headache anyway, all that switching between languages.”

“You and me both,” Bennet admitted, and Parkman grinned.

“But there are two types of people in this world,” the Japanese continued. “Some wish to use their skills for the good of all, others purely for their own gain and those with powers are no exception. Our company believes that possession of great gifts presents great opportunities, but also comes with a high price in terms of duty.

“You understand duty, do you not?”

“I think so,” Bennet allowed.

“And you understand that we need people like you to track down men like Raphael Marquez, who must be… contained, as well as people like Angelica Masterson – the girl you knew as ‘Anqelique’ – who ought to be given the opportunity to use their powers for the benefit of others.”

“In this case by acting as nursemaid and bodyguard to Nakamura’s children,” Parkman noted. “Short-term precognition is a real godsend in a child minder.”

“And long-term foresight an admirable trait in a parent,” Nakamura replied. It was clear that there was no love lost between these two. “Mr Bennet; are you interested in a position with our Company?”

Bennet didn’t need to think; he’d been waiting for the question. “Yes,” he said. “I’m ready to do whatever it takes.”


End file.
